DETROIT -- Michigan has partially activated the state's Emergency Operations Center and Joint Information Center to keep residents informed after one Livingston County resident was diagnosed with swine flu.

Wednesday, a 34-year-old Livingston County woman was diagnosed with the virus and on Tuesday, a 34-year-old Ottawa County woman was diagnosed with "probable" swine flu.

The SEOC is located in Lansing and was activated as a precautionary effort to ensure a collaborative response, between state and local agencies, to the swine flu outbreak.

The SEOC and JIC will gather, disseminate and dispense swine flu information.

"This is a national, global issue and we need to stay on top of what's going on," said state community health spokesman James Curtis.

Homeland Security and the Michigan Department of State Police Emergency Management oversee SEOC.

The emergency operation has not been used since Hurricane Katrina.

Counties also get ready for possible outbreak

The woman who was diagnosed with swine flu is from the Brighton-Howell area. No other information was released about the Ottawa County woman probably diagnosed with the influenza.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing the women's test results. The results will be available later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Doctors said suspected swine flu cases are sent to the state for testing; probable cases are sent to the CDC headquarters in Georgia. Health officials said they suspect five more cases of swine flu in Michigan.

The cases are being monitored, and doctors across the state were being told what to look for when treating sick patients, DCH chief medical executive Greg Holzman said in a statement.

"This probable case is not a cause for alarm, but we do want people to be cautious," he said. "It is important that people cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, and it's important to wash your hands frequently to help prevent the spreading of germs."

The Livingston County woman traveled to the San Antonia Texas-area and was near the Mexico border for two weeks. When she returned on Saturday, she experienced flu-like symptoms, the DCH said.

Local health officials said the woman stayed in a hotel in Texas and traveled to and from Texas by car. Officials stressed that she did not come into contact with any school-aged children in Michigan.

Her family members have not experienced any symptoms. She is recovering at home.

The state, which already had stockpiled 1 million doses of Tamiflu to treat the flu, has been allocated another 250,000 doses by the CDC as a precautionary measure, Holzman said.

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The outbreak has led to a significant uptick in sales of surgical masks at a Detroit-area medical supply chain.

"Members of the public are calling wanting them," said Ruthanne Rejc, director of purchasing for Binson's Home Health Care Centers, which has six stores in the Detroit area and two in Florida.

The N95 respirator mask has more filters to protect against airborne viruses than a regular surgical mask, Rejc said.

She expects the run on masks to intensify as the flu outbreak gets more news coverage. She said sales of protective respiratory masks spiked during the SARS scare in 2003, when manufacturers could not keep up with demand.

"I anticipate this going in the same direction," Rejc said.

Airline workers, airport security, inspection staffs and others were employing "passive observation" of passengers arriving at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from Mexico, airport spokesman Mike Conway said Monday.

Passengers likely would not be aware of the increase in observation unless they were stopped by airport staff, he said.

"Flight crews are trained to note anyone hacking, coughing or sneezing," Conway said. "Our firefighters will meet them at the gate and take them to the hospital if they need it. Customs and border protection are trained to watch out for things. Everybody knows what their role is."

Mechanisms also were in place to notify passengers sitting near someone who tests positive for the virus.

"You do everything you can, whatever role we can play to slow down the spread," Conway said.

The CDC is notified of passengers exhibiting symptoms or test positive for the virus.

Michigan State University has not received any reports of students who traveled to Mexico for spring break getting sick, spokesman Jason Cody said.

The school was reviewing current and ongoing study abroad programs, but no decisions about whether to cancel or alter them had been made.

The United States launched border screening Monday morning for swine flu exposure. Officials were to ask people about fever and illness and look for those who are ill.

An elementary school in Elyria, Ohio, about 85 miles southeast of Detroit, was closed for the week after lab tests confirmed a 9-year-old third-grader had the virus.

The boy recently visited several Mexican cities while on vacation with his family.

The infections are spread between people. Symptoms include coughing, fever, fatigue, sore throat, chills, headaches, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting.

Holzman provided the following recommendations:

As always, people with respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community.

Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Wash hands frequently to lessen the spread of respiratory illness.

People experiencing severe symptoms including cough, fever, fatigue, sore throat, chills, headaches, body aches possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting, should contact their physician.

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